You can please some of the people some of the time ... You know the rest.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Sheldon,The number of prototypical units for a particular railroad doesn't necessarily relate to sales. For example, take the one-of-a-kind Amtrak E8A 4316 model they've announced. Originally, it was capped at 500 units. It sold out in about 48 hours and Rapido had to re-open the order books so they could make more of them to satisfy the demand. Another is the NH EP-5 electric in yellow; it's the best selling SKU out of all the EP-5's they're making and it literally never left Erie, Penn. It was painted yellow, rolled out of the paint shop, the NH president picked the orange one, rolled back into the paint shop and re-painted orange. Talk about rare, it was never energized and got no closer than 400 miles to NH rails while yellow, and yet NH fans are buying it in droves.Rapido is making models that represent about 53% of all E8A's made. Not to mention that Amtrak had 150 E8A's they inherited, and Rapido is making four different numbers in Amtrak (plus the 4316).As for the undec.'s, Rapido can't make money selling undec. locos unless they make a dozen. Lately, undec. locos have been selling in the single digits. It's just not worth it, especially with all the variations they make. But if you can get together a group of folks that all want a specific undec. version, talk to Rapido; Jason said it's possible.Will they make B&O or C&O? Probably; just not this run.
Rapido Trains has just announced a new locomotive offering.
And now, for the second time, they are apparently not interested in my money.
A while back they announced ALCO PA's, and I promptly put in my preorder for an undecorated A/B set in DC. Only to have Rapido later cancel the undecorated offering.........
I later found another NOS Proto2000 set of PA/PB undecorated locos to round out my PA fleet on the ACR.
Now they have just announced EMD E8's, a loco I like and maybe would spring for another set or two........
BUT,
the offerings do not include B&O, C&O or undecorated models?
The B&O and the C&O were major users of EMD E units, powering most of their passenger trains with them. Between them they owned over 10% of the E8's built. Not to mention all the E7's, E9's, & E6's the B&O had.
Well once again, if I decide I want more E units, I will be seaching for some more NOS Proto 2000.
Sorry Jason, I keep trying to buy something.....
Sheldon